When I started my YAV year I expected to end where I’d started, in Pital. But as I’m finally beginning to understand, life rarely goes the way we expect. A few weeks ago I was offered the opportunity to spend my last few months in Colombia working with La Iglesia Septima Presbiteriana (7th Presbyterian Church) in Barranquilla. After much prayer and discussion with my site coordinator, I realized that I was being called to Septima. It wasn’t an easy realization to make. I love the church of Pital and think of them as my family. But sometimes God calls us in unexpected ways to unexpected places. I’ve heard pastors talk about being called away or being called to a new place, but I never realized how hard it could be to understand or accept.

On Palm Sunday I said goodbye to the church, my host family, and Pital. Words cannot express the gratitude I feel towards the community for the opportunity to live, work, and worship with them for seven months. Even more so I feel very grateful for my host family, especially my host mom Claudia, for opening their home to me. I am thankful for the many incredible experiences I have had in Pital, and the people of the church and my host family who have made this time special.

After spending Holy Week getting to know the people of Septima, I began my new placement this week. In addition to being involved with the regular activities of the church, I am working with Comunidad Cristiana Betesda (Bethesda Christian Community) and Colegio Nazareth Olaya (Nazareth Olaya School), both ministries of La Iglesia Septima.

Ainsley--I think maybe we have met through your dad at an Emmanus Gathering, a year or so ago. My name is Gary and my wife is Jann (Janice). We retired in July, 2015, after working 13 years in Mexico as missionaries with the Free Methodist Church. We opened the above e-mail acct. while in Mexico. We both used our middle names in Mexico: Charles and Ellen=carlena! Our role there was discipleship and leadership training. We worked for 4 years in the Yucatan Peninsula: Campeche, and 9 years in Mexico City. Prior to that we worked in Central Africa: Burundi and The Democratic Republic of Congo for 16 years in the areas of education, (my wife is an elementary teacher), and I worked in theological education and medical work as a medical technologist and physician's assistant. I have read several of your blog posts. May HE direct you as you adjust to a new place, people, and circumstances. Please remember that the ONE who gives the call is still the same. Blessings!

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I am a seminary student who loves to study and think about God, Christianity and the Church. I started this blog as a place to share my thoughts with others.